Journal of Veterinary Clinics (한국임상수의학회지)

The Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics (한국임상수의학회)
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Transient Non-Regenerative Anemia in a Dog with Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis Following Leflunomide Treatment

  • Ga-Hyun Lim (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Ju-Hyun An (Department of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Su-Min Park (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Jeong-Hwa Lee (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Ye-In Oh (Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Kyoung-Won Seo (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Hwa-Young Youn (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2024.05.27
  • Accepted : 2024.06.12
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

A 10-year-old, spayed female Maltese dog was tentatively diagnosed with granulomatous meningoencephalitis (GME) on magnetic resonance imaging. The meningoencephalitis was classified as aseptic GME because cerebral fluid analysis did not reveal an infectious aetiology. Two months after leflunomide treatment (Arava; Sanofi; 4 mg/kg/day), the patient developed non-regenerative, macrocytic, and normochromic anemia. As the patient's anaemia began after the administration of leflunomide, and other differentials for anaemia had been ruled out, the leflunomide was determined to be the cause and this treatment ended. After 15 days, the anaemia resolved spontaneously. This is the first report of reversible aplastic anaemia following treatment with leflunomide in a canine patient with GME.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (RS-2023-00240708).

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